Wichita eagle., 1887-11-19
SOME FLIES THAT BITE.
THE WINGED PESTS OF AMERICAN
WOODS AND FARMS.

| Their Haunts and Seasons of Pernicious
Activity-The Black Fly and the mo
See 'Ems"-Forest Fly, Musquito and
Stable Fly.
Every season has its peculiar winged pests,
the victims Of which are ready TO declare it
more uncomfortable, il possible, than that
which preceded it. From early June till late
September there is no month without its
blood sucking insect. While it will prove
small comfort to the fly bitten victim of the
forest to know the name and habits of each
little torment that did its best to make his
cuticule resemble the lid of pepper box,
perhaps description OF the most annoying
Of these pests may enable some health OF
pleasure seeker to adopt means chat viii in
part protect him from their exasperating at
tentiOns.
THE VICIOUS BLACK FLY.
! The earliest of these winged torments to
appear on the scene is the black ~ or nudge
Of the woods of Canada, New England, New
York and northern Pennsylvania IL appears
in great clouds about the first of June lust
when the ascending sap has loosened the bark
of the hemlock and oak ard invited the bark
peelers to their work. In appearance it is
black, with transparent wings, and about
one-tenth of an inch in length. If one is
caught before it is gorged and rolled between
the fingers its body, wings head, proboscis,
legs and all will make little ball no larger
than the head Of pin Unlike the mosquito
1t does not mako much noise. Lighting
gently upon the cheek, forehead, or prefer
ably upon the back OF the neck of its victim,
1t dexterously inserts its Sucking proboscis,
causing no inconvenience until it has goreed
itself, and its wicked work is done Then
Cue poisonous saliva which has entered the
wound produces sharp itching or singing
sensation, causing the victim involuntarilv
20 slap at the bitten place. If the fly hasn't
gone it VIII be crushed i'll q dot OF its victims
gore, as large as five cent piece
AND MOSQUITOES ALSO
They think they have mosquitoes along the
Jersey coast, and most soj0urners By the sea,
from Cape May to Long Branch, can testify
both TO the numbers and biting capacity OF
the Jersey galhniper. But Michigan is the
favOrite haunt of the mosquito. Its multi
tuGlnous small lakes and cat tail marshes
breed them in clouds, and the winds distrib-
ute them over the gently rolling country SIS
impartially as the Michigan farmer used to
broadcast his wheat before the DAYS OF grain
drills. No hill is too high to bs free from
their presence, and 40 valley SO low that
they won't find it. Ii was in Michigan where
the luckless traveller is said to have had his
neck girdled by the mosquitoes while Sleep
ing, waking up to find his hair turned white
III the morning.
THE LAST OF THE FLIES.
The last to appear and most widely difused
OF the biting flies is the ordinary stable fY.
1t IS about the sIze OF and very nearly reseIn-
bles the house hy 1t IS most abundant in
August and September, ana most annoying
AMI Pertinaoious after the nights begin TO get
cooL On bright day, after q cool night, it
attacks horses and cattle in great numbers
and seems to acquire at that time a sticking
never manifested by any cthsr ~. /
1t can scarcely be brushed OF is bite IS so
savage Is 10 render sensitive, highbred horses 1
nearly frantic. 1t does nos hesitate to fasten
or the hand or neck of the luckless man or
womsH that comes in its way, and its bite Is 4
forceful and emphatic enough to he remem
bered The bito OF the stable flv. ike that OF /
the forest fy, is apt 70 cause she blood 70 fol- (
low. This fly Is generally distributed through /
out the cattle rearing portions Of she older
settled states. and unlike the forest fy does
cot care anything for the neighborheod Of
forests or wooded lands -Phl!adslsh ina Times
inr influence Of geographical position upon
phtlisis turns out TO be much less tkaa cur
rent opinion would indicate We are prone
to regard il rs essentially 2 nlalady Of tenn
reratc ATTITUDES and OF tee Anglo-Saron
race, but more accurate statistical inforna-
ton proves that it is virulent in many warm
countries. ana that some OF the infsrior races. /
such as tho negroes, the Inhabitants Of the
West India Islands and the peoples Of the
South Sea suffer more ii proportion than the
nations Of Europe L viii be a grea: sur
prise 70 many people TO learn that the death
ate from phthisis is IS high in sunny Italy as
4 f2gsy England Those who held the cid
ashioned notion that damp ard cold ere tbs
nain causes Of phthisis VIII BE puzzled to &c
cunt Tor the almost complete Immunity Ell
Dyed by the inhabitants Of the Heb-iGes and
Ae Farce Islands-BriliSh Medical Journal